“The Bucks Start Here” is the theme of the annual Monticello Pioneer Day celebration, which kicks off its weekend festivities starting Thursday and continuing through Saturday.

Highlights will include the Pioneer Day parade, fast pitch softball tournament, tractor pull, and fireworks.

The theme can refer to deer, commerce, or school children at the new Monticello Elementary School.

A farmers market will take place Thursday evening at Veterans Memorial Park. The market will run from 6 to 8 p.m.

Friday events will start with Civil War Demonstrations at the Monticello Visitor Center. The demonstrations will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Starting at 3 p.m., the annual Blue Mountain Fast Pitch Softball Tournament will start up with a homerun derby. The derby will be at the softball fields.

The softball tournament will start at 5 p.m. following the derby, and will continue into the night. The tournament will then resume at 8 a.m. on Saturday morning.

Vendors will be at Veterans Memorial Park starting at 4 p.m. From 6 to 7 p.m. a youth art exhibit will be on display at the Pioneer Park log church. The display will feature the original artwork that has been placed on banners throughout Monticello. Pioneer Park is on Main Street and 200 South.

Country Singer Rollie Stevens will play a Marty Robbins Tribute Concert beginning at 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Park.

The park is also the starting point for the first Monticello Ghost Tour, which begins at 7 p.m.

Saturday morning will start early with registration for the annual Monticello Pioneer Day Family 5k. Race registration begins at 6:30 a.m. and leads up to the starting time at 7:30 a.m.

After the 5k is completed, a one-mile kids race will begin at 8:15 a.m. The race is a fundraiser for the Monticello High School cross country team.

For more information, contact Jeff Hunt at 435-220-0058 or jhunt@sjsd.org

The Lions Club Breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the LDS Stake Pavilion, located behind the Post Office. The cost per plate is $6.

A Children’s Parade will begin at 10:15 a.m. Any children wishing to participate, on bike, foot, or otherwise, should line up at the Monticello Post office starting at 10 a.m.

Following the Children’s Parade, The Pioneer Day Parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. The floats will begin at Monticello High School and follow a loop around Main Street back to the start.

Parade Grand Marshall will be former Mayor Doug Allen. Allen was on the city council for six years, and served as mayor of Monticello for eight years.

Additionally the new elementary school statue will be on display in the parade.

Following the parade, vendors will be at Veterans Park through the afternoon.

Additionally, the youth art exhibit will be on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Pioneer Park log church. At 2 p.m. there will be a tractor pull at the Visitor Center.

Although there is no guarantee, there is a possibility that the Big 4 tractor will be started up. (Volunteers can’t necessarily guarantee that a tractor from 1910 will be able to run.)

The softball tournament will run throughout the day. The celebration will finish up with a fireworks display at dark.

For more information regarding the Pioneer Day celebration, call Bayley Hedglin at 435-459-9700.

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